1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is devices which are adapted to secure a pair of binoculars to a tripod for use by hunters, bird watchers, and other parties wishing to aim a pair of binoculars at a distant stationary or semi-stationary target and secure them on that target.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In viewing a stationary or semi-stationary object at a distance utilizing binoculars, and especially high-powered binoculars, many times it is difficult to constantly hold the binoculars on the object. With just the slight movement of hands, the object in the field of view will very easily leave the viewing area, thus making it necessary for the user to again locate the object.
Accordingly, it has become common to mount the binoculars to a stationary tripod whereby the binoculars may be aimed upon the distant object and then the tripod locked so that the binoculars remain fixed on the object. Since some binoculars are not manufactured with a tripod mount attached to them, it is necessary to secure the binoculars to the tripod in one fashion or another. As a consequence, binocular rests have been devised that secure the pair of binoculars to itself by one or more methods and then the rest itself attaches to the tripod. While very fine binocular rests have been devised and are presently in the commercial market, yet those available have their shortcomings.
With respect to binoculars, two types are generally presently available. The first type, namely the roof-prism type, have a linear in-line view from the eye piece or ocular lens to the outside or objective lens for each monocular making up the binoculars. The second type of binocular is the porro-prism type, which interrupts each line of sight for each monocular from the ocular lens to the objective lens with two mirrors, each mirror making a direction change in the sight line by 90 degrees. Obviously, the porro-prism type of binoculars is usually larger in physical size than the roof-prism type. In addition, to adjust the eye width distance between the ocular lens of both types of binoculars, generally each monocular barrel of the binoculars connects to a swing arm, both arms joining at a centrally located pivot. Adjustment for eye width distance is obtained by pivoting one arm relative to the other, thus increasing or decreasing the distance between the two ocular lens.
One problem with prior art binocular rests is that while they secure the binoculars in one position and for a certain eye width distance between ocular lens, yet when a different user wants to use the binoculars and needs to adjust the pivoting swing arms to another eye width distance, either the binocular rest will not allow for such adjustment or, if it does, the secure hold that the rest had upon the binoculars is compromised, and thus requires a readjustment of the tightening mechanism of the binocular rest.
Now there exists binocular rests such as shown in the U.S. Patent to Conway U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,451, wherein two side-by-side elongated rounded troughs with a central hump are formed in a single element, both troughs then encompassed with a single strap. In the invention of Conway, binoculars are situated in the two troughs, the bottom portion of each monocular barrel in one of the two troughs, the single strap then passing over both of the tops of the monoculars to be secured on one side. The limitations of this device is that adjustment of the eye width distance between ocular lens of the binoculars, especially if the distance is lessened, results in a looser held fit than had been the case prior to the eye width distance adjustment.
Still other devices to secure similar or related devices such as a camera to a stationary standard is shown in the U.S. Patent to Frost, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,189. Here a rather complicated mechanical device attaches to the camera and then, in turn, attaches to a tripod. In Frost's device, the means by which the camera is attached to the device is by a threaded bolt into a threaded blind hole provided in the camera. Binoculars, however, do not provide such accommodations.
Still another device which secures binoculars, but not necessarily to a tripod, is shown in the U.S. Patent to Bogdanovich, U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,106, which device provides a container type receptacle for the binoculars, the container then being attached to a bulkhead or the like. Obviously the invention is intended to be utilized on a ship or similar vessel. The container was so fashioned that the binoculars could be withdrawn only through the open mouth of the container and thereby rendering the binoculars immune to damage due to pitching and rolling of the seas.
It is thus obvious that it would be of great advantage to provide a device to secure binoculars to a tripod wherein in addition to being firmly secured to the tripod, the binoculars could also be operated upon such as manipulating the swing arm to adjust for different eye width distance without having to re-adjust the tightening mechanisms of the device securing the binoculars.
It is also obvious it would be of great advantage if such a device were easily removed from the tripod, and the device so compact as not to present an obstacle and thereby remain attached to the binoculars even while the user operates the binoculars away from the tripod.
Such device is presented in the following specification.